Finger-spreading device.



R. J. PITCHER.

FINGER SPREADING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. 1915.

1,174,275. Patented Mar. 7,1916.

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F Fig-l THE COLUMBIA PLANOGIAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD JAMES PITCHER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

FINGER-SPREADING DEVICE.

Application filed July 24, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD JAMES Prrcnnn, a subject of the King of England, residing at London, England, have invented a new and useful Finger-Spreading Device, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to devices commonly known as finger exercisers or hand expanders for use by music learners. In ordinary devices of this kind a flat base is furnished with wedges or angularly disposed deflecting plates to receive between them the five fingers of one hand so as to enable the same to perform a horizontal pushing action in order to force the fingers angularly apart.

It is one of my objects to provide a finger spreading device in which lateral spreading action is promoted on any two fingers at a time, while simultaneous lifting and depressing motion or a swinging movement may be executed with any intermediate fingers of the hand, the thumb being comprehended under the term fingers.

A further object is to so construct my device as to enable the hand of the performer to reciprocate any two fingers in a downward direction for spreading purposes and simultaneously execute a wriggling or torsional or twisting movement with th said fingers while the other fingers of the same hand are free to perform swinging exercises.

Another object is to provide additional or supplementary means in connection with my device for use in facilitating the exercises of the thumb.

Yet another object is to adapt my device for use in exercising the wrist.

I attain these objects by the construction of the device and the combination of the parts thereof and of the supplementary means in accordance with the following description in respect of the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan; Fig. 2, a side elevation; Fig. 3, a front elevation of a fixed finger block; Fig. 4, a plan; Fig. 5, a side elevation; and Fig. 6, a front elevation of an adjustable finger block; Figs. 7 8 and 9 are a plan, side view and end view respectively of a support for the adjustable finger block; Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are views corresponding to Figs. 7 to 9 of a base; Figs. 13, 14 and 15 are corresponding view of the complete device.

In all the figures the same reference char- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

Serial No. 41,723.

actors are used for denoting the same parts which are made of wood or other suitable material furnished with metal fittings where required.

The device comprises four principal parts, A, B, C, D made separately. of which the parts A and B are in the form of blocks shaped and slantingly grooved to suit the fingers. C is the supporting block previously referred to and fully described in a subsequent paragraph herein. The base D is preferably of rectangular form, although an oval or other shape may be adopted, havinga straight longitudinal groove E. The upright finger block A is formed with a slanting groove A* and by preference is permanently fixed to the base D in any suitable manner. In some instances the base and block A may be molded and fashioned 1I1'OI16 piece, but always the slanting groove A should be directed toward the near end of the base as shown in Figs. 13 and 14.

The upright finger block B has a slanting groove B* and has in its underside a guide pm B or other means adapted to serve as a sliding engagement in the groove E of the base D. For insuring an adjustably stationary position to the block B a plate J, or a projection, may be fitted with a clamping screw K the head of which latter engages the interior lips of the groove E and which is suitably tightened from without.

The support C has in or on its base means, such as the pins C adapted to form a sliding engagement with the groove E of the base D and means, such as the plate F and clamping screw G, for insuring an adjustably stationary position to the support in the upper surface of which is formed a longitudinal groove H of similar cross-section to the groove E in the base D.

The finger blocks A and B are arranged with their grooves slanting downwardly toward the opposite ends of the base D and their upright sides facing each other are rendered concave by recesses M and L respectively for the retention of the wrist when exercising-the latter. The block B can be secured direct on the base D and after positioning, be rigidly secured by the screw K, or it may be fixed by the said screw K to the top of the support C which latter can be made fast to the base by the screw G, as is shown in Figs. 14 and 15, thereby facilitating the exercising of the comparatively short 'and set-back thumb and one of the a fixed upright and slantingly grooved fin- 20 remaining fingers of the hand. 1

It will be clear that with the reciprocatory downward spreading movement of any pair of fingers there can be carried out a to and fro twisting movement so that greater elasticity will result than from any other ordinary stiff mechanical forward push of all the fingers in a straight direction between Wedges over a flat base. Moreover, my device permits of a simultaneous swinging motion by the free fingers not engaged in the grooves of the blocks A and B. Lastly the forearm can be gripped in the recesses M, L of the said blocks in order to steady the arm while exercising the wrist.

I claim:

l. A finger spreading device consisting of a longitudinally grooved rectangular base,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ger block, a similar adjustable finger block, means for guiding samein the grooved base, and means for rigidly securing the same to said base, as described.

2. A finger spreading device consisting of a longitudinally grooved rectangular base, a fixed upright and slantingly grooved finger block, a similar adjustable finger block, means for guiding same in the grooved base, and means for rigidly securing the same to said base in combination with means for supporting the adjustable finger block, as described.

RICHARD JAMES PITCHER.

Witnesses:

SOPHIA GRAVES WALKER, FRANCES MARY LEONPRIERE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

